Shunzo Ohno: Learn Motivation from World Class Trumpeter
Shunzo Ohno once said, his career as a trumpeter has died twice in his whole life.
In 1988, Shunzo Ohno broke his teeth, and upper-jaw during a car accident. Doctor said to him “You better be prepared to end your performing life”. But his career survived.
In 1995, Shunzo Ohno was diagnosed with throat cancer, that requires him to undergo medical operation. Doctor said to him “Even if the operation is successful, the salivary gland will still not function, it means you can never blow your trumpet”. Yet his career survived once more.
(Picture taken from Shunzoohno.com)
Shunzo Ohno: A World Class Award-Winning Trumpeter
In 1980, Shunzo Ohno won two times of the most significant musical awards named Grammy Awards. One is with Afro Cuban orchestra (leader Machito) and an0ther is with Gil Evans orchestro. He is always known as a ”world class musician”, but he is never born in a musician family. His mother morning will open a stall selling food, and night will help to serve food in a bar. Hence, since young Shunzo had to help his family in washing dishes and delivering food to earn for living.
He started to play trumpet when he was 14, and started to play trumpet in a night pub at age 16. Besides, he also joined the orchestra in his school and he was recognised by his instructor and team mates as “genius”. He then started to dream of becoming a musician.
Shunzo Ohno was very lucky to meet his first mentor Art Blakey, a famous American Jazz drummer at age 20. Shunzo Ohno was then invited to city of Jazz – New York and he immediately grabbed the golden opportunity. In New York, he had the chance to practise and perform with top class Jazz musicians. Eventually he started to become famous and wealthy, but he too started to indulge in a night life, where drugs and alcohols had became part and parcel of his life. He had lost himself..
Shunzo Ohno died, for the 1st time
The 1st accident struck him, and almost took his life in 1988. Shunzo Ohno was suddenly awaken from shock when doctor said he can no longer performed, which also means his money, fame and career would be gone. He started to realise how he wasted his time in unnecessary things but not appreciating time. He cried several nights, and at one night, Shunzo Ohno made a promise, that he will never indulge in alcohols and drugs anymore but focus on music so that people that support him all the while were not disappointed. He had decided to resurrect his career.
Shunzo Ohno started everything all over again. It was actually tough for a world class trumpeter to learn everything, especially the basic from scratch. However, he was really determined not to disappoint anyone again, and he did it by standing on stage once more in 1989.
Shunzo Ohno died again
Adversity struck Shunzo Ohno again, where this time he was diagnosed with life threatening throat cancer. For 3 years, he had to undergo medical treatment, and he thought his career will really end there for a trumpeter without salivary gland. But he refused to give in, and he told himself he needed to go through this. He told himself this was another roadblock that wanted to defeat him, another roadblock preventing him to shine anymore, and the only solution was practise harder. Shunzo Ohno, again went through this hardship.
A real inspirational story
We face hardships, problems, roadblocks all the time in life, preventing us to our success. We always thought those are the real roadblocks, but to Shunzo Ohno, the actual roadblock is only yourself. He controlled his destiny, and made his career survive in 2 seemingly-killing accidents. He refused to give in, but work harder to prove to people that nothing can stop him.
The question to ponder is : If Shunzo Ohno can do it, what about you? Are you committed to give everything to your success?
